Miter box



Jan. 6, 1942. w, LARSQN 2,268,835 Q MITER BOX Filed Dec. 6 1939 3Sheets-Sheet l \Q L Q Q VI/FLF PEQ A, ZAQJO Jan. 6, 1942. w. A. LARSONMITER BOX Filed Dec. 6, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwua/wbom MLEZPED AZAPSONPatented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" MITER BOX I Q WilfredLarson, New Britain, Conn assign'or to The StanleyWorks, New Britain,Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 6, 1939, SerialNo. 307,852

3 Claims. "(or 143 -89) The present invention relates to miter boxesand-has for its object an improved device of this character in. whichthe saw guide means and swivel, means therefor are positioned'above thesawing table and readily adjustable relative thereto. i

A still further object of the-presentI invention is to provide animproved device of this character, which is'simple in construction andwherein gmost ofthe parts thereof may be stamped from heavy gauge metalto provide a device which is capable of withstanding the hard usage towhich such devices are subjected, but which is extremely inexpensive tomanufacture.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter. -i The invention accordingly consists in thefeatures of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement ofparts, which will be exemplifled in the construction hereafter set forthand the scope of the application of which will'be inof thetable lb'y'suitable screws I2 is a back plate l4 comprising a pair ofvertically arranged members l6 and IS. The members l6 and I8 are sosecured that their inner vertical edges and 22 are spaced aparttoprovide a saw slot 24.

The positioning member I4 also has stamped out therefrom adjacent thevertical edge 20 a centrally arranged, vertically extending, elongatedsluot 44 havingapproximately the same width as the guide lug 26 andnon-circular neck 36 of the securing bolt 32. With this arrangement,when the parts are assembled, the non-circular neck 36 of the securing,bolt and the securing lug 26 position and guide the leg 42 vertically.The non-circular neckalso prevents the turning of the bolt upon rotationof the nut 40 to secure the leg in its adjusted position.

The leg 42 has the upper end thereof bentforwardly through ninetydegreesto provide a support for the arm 48 of a horizontally arranged indexingplate 50. The arm 48 is secured to the bracket 46 by spot welding, andto add rigidity to the structure it may have a downwardly dependingportion 52 welded to the rear face of the leg 42. v 2 The arm 48 extendslaterally from the bracket 46 so as to position the indexing plate 56 inoverhanging alignment with the saw slot 24. The

indexing plate 50 is substantially circular and includes a raised centerportion 54 and outer in alignment with a zero indexing'pointer 60 on theforward edge of the peripheral flange 56.

depending guide lug 26 which is offset rearwardly but parallel to theplane thereof by an angular portion 28. There is arranged in verticalalignment, and preferably above the guide lug 26, a bolt receivingaperture 30 adapted to receive a securing bolt 32.. The bolt 32 isprovided with a mushroom head 34, non-circular neck 36, too large topass through the aperture 30, and a threaded shank 38 adapted to havethreaded thereon a suitable securing nut'40.

The lug 36 and securing bolt 32 cooperate to guide and adjustably mounta relatively narrow vertically extending leg 42 on the rear face of themember l6.

. The aperture 58 is adapted to receive a swivel pin 62 comprising athreaded shank 64, collar 66, and handle portion 68; the handle portionbeing bent at right angles to the shank to allow ready manipulation ofsame. The shank 64 is adapted to extend through the aperture 58 with thecollar 66resting on the top surface of the indexing member, and thethreaded shank extends beneath the downwardly facing undersurface. 10 ofthe peripheral flange 56.

ofugreater outside diameter thanthe peripheral flange 56 of the indexingplate, and thereisprovided a centrally arranged aperture 14 in whichthere is secured a threaded clinch nut 16 having a threaded bore 18therethrough, which bore is centrally located relative to the peripheryof the swivel plate 12. The threaded bore 18 is adapted to receive theshank 64 of the pivot pin 62, whereby the swivel plate may be moved intoand The leg 42 has cut therein a out of abutting engagement with thebottom surface ll] of the peripheral flange 56 of the indexing plate.

When so positioned, the portion of the swivel plate which extendsoutside of the peripheral flange 56 provides a ring portion on whichthere may be provided a series of graduations for angularly adjustingthe swivel plate relative to the indexing'plate. In the embodimentillustrated, these graduations extend fifty degrees in either directionfrom a common zero point. Obviously, in order to adjust the swivel plate12, it is only necessary to slack off on the pivot pin 62, where uponthe plate may be rotated to a new angular position, and then, by holdingthe plate, the pivot pin may be rotated to secure it in its adjusted?position.

The swivel plate I2 has integrally formed therewith the saw guide meanswhich comprise a pair of spaced apart, parallel, substantially squareplate members 80 and 82; each plate having an upper portion 84, anintermediate inwardly tapering portion 86, and a lower portion 88. Theupper portions 84' may have formed therein rearwardly of the-verticalcenter line of the plates substantially inverted conical sections 90provided with outwardly projecting peripheral flanges 92 adapted to besecured to the under surface of the swivel plate 12, thus spacing thegreater portion of the guide means forwardly of the back plate I4.

As best seen in Fig. 3, the upper portions of the plates havea'relatively large spacing therebetween, and the iorwardedges thereofare cut on a bias 94 extending from the swivel 'plate to adjacent theforward upper edge of the tapering portion 86, whereby a saw may readilybe placed within the guide means. However, the inwardly taperingintermediate portion 86 positions the lower portions 88 in substantiallyclosed alignment so that the width therebetween is slightly less thanthe thickness of the saw, whereby when the saw is placed within theguide it will be engaged by thelower portions 88. As the plate membersare of substantial'length, there'is sufiicient'resiliency inthe metal toallow the lower portions 88: to be sprung. slightly to permit theplacing of the saw therebetween.

From the foregoing, it' can be readily seen that the saw'guidemeansmaybe readily adjustedto accommodate various thicknesses of woodbysimplyslackingofi the securing'nutdll, whereupon" the raising and'lowering ofthe leg 42 will simultaneously adjust the saw guide means therewith.Likewise; in order to angularly adjust the saw guide means, it isonlynecessary to slack 01f on the swivel pin 52, set the swivel plate to theproper angle, and then takeup on the swivel pin.

It is also apparent from the foregoing that, with the exception. of. thesecuring bolt and swivel pin, the various metal parts of the miter boxmay all be stamped. from a suitable heavy gauge material and, whennecessary, bent into the form shown. The various. stampings may all bestrengthened by the provision of suitable flutesor ribs readily. seen inthe drawings,,but which'havenot been described inasmuch as they merelyadd strength to the structure. However, by so manufacturing the parts,the device may be inexpensively manufactured and yet sufficiently ruggedto stand the hard usage to which such devices are subjected and also beaccurate in its settings.

If desired, there may also be provided on the forward edge of the sawingtable In, suitable stop lugs 96 pivotally secured thereto by screws 98,whereby the stops may be turned downwardly to engage the edge of a benchto steady the miter box during cutting operations.

I claim as my invention:

1. In. combination with a miter box, a horizontally arranged indexingplate having a flat peripheral flange and a raised central portionprovided with a centrally located aperture, saw

" guide means underlying the indexing plate and comprising a circularswivel plate having a centrally arranged threaded opening and a pair ofcomplementary parallel plate members depending from said swivel plate,said plate members each including an upper and a lower portion, saidupper portions being spaced apart to permit the ready insertion of a sawtherebetween and having their upper edges secured to the bottom of theswivel plate, and the lower portions of said plate members being closelyaligned to clamp the sides of a saw when inserted therebetween, and asingle pivot pin pivotally mounted in the openingsin said index" plateand having its lower end. threaded and receivedwithin the threadedopening of the swivel plate, whereby upon rotation of the pivot pin saidswivel plate may be adjusted relative to and secured against the flangeof: the index plate.

2. In, combination with a miter box, a horizontallyjarranged index platehaving a flat peripheral, flange and provided with a centrally locatedaperture, saw guide means underlying the indexing plate and comprising acircular plate having a centrally arranged threaded opening, and a pairof complementary parallel plate members depending from said swivel plateand having their upper edgessecured to the swivel plate, and a singlepivot pin pivotally mounted in the openingin said index plate and havingits lowerend threaded and received within the threaded opening'oi saidswivel plate, whereby upon rotation of the pivot pin said swivel platemay be adjusted relative to and secured against the flange of the indexplate.

3. In-combination with a miter box, an index plate, saw guide means:pivoted thereon, said saw guide means comprising a circular swivelplate and: a pair of. complementary parallel plate membersdepending fromsaid swivel plate, said plate members each including an upper portionand alower portion, the upper portions having an inverted conicalsection terminating at its upper edge in a lateral flange secured to theswivel plate and spaced apartto permit the ready insertion, of a sawtherebetween, and the lower portions. of said plate members beingclosely alignedtoclamp the sides of a saw therebetween.

' WILFRED A; LARSON.

